Clark County News

February 1892

C. A. Youmans received a letter from the State Agricultural Society announcing that he had been appointed as superintendent of the Horse Department for the State Society.

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A meeting of the stockholders of the Neillsville Basket and Box Works was held at the office of the secretary, H. N. Withee.  They then changed the name of the company from “The Neillsville Basket and Box Works” to “The Neillsville Spoke Company.”

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The other day, while carpenters were placing the large plate glass in the windows of the Lloyd block, one glass panel became cramped where the sash wasn’t square and a corner of the panel broke out.  Trogner and Taylor have sent for another plate that will cost $125 without freight charges.  They will cut the broken plate to fit the Johnson building that will be finished in the spring and it adjoins the Dewhurst block.

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The lumbermen in this vicinity have a new scheme for making good roads. They blast ice from the Black River, chop it up fine and spread it along the road in two narrow lines.  Then, it is sprinkled with water and left to freeze.  It makes the finest kind of logging road. 

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Granite quarries within Clark County have recently been discovered a few miles from Neillsville.  It is believed that the quality of granite produced from that quarry will not be surpassed in quality and the quantity is plentiful.

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Wanted for the World’s Fair – an excellent stick of elm timber 25 feet long, nine to twelve inches at the butt end, with bark on.  It must be straight and prefect without knots.  Such a piece of timber as this will be a creditable exhibit representing Clark County.  It must be delivered in Neillsville, wrapped in burlap, with no bruises on the bark.  Anyone having such a tree can write to: Charles Burpee, Christie, World’s Fair Commissioner for Clark County, who will inspect the tree before being hauled.

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Drs. Esch & Lacey were called to the Winnegan home, in the Town of Grant, last Friday, to see if they could help the nineteen-year-old- son, who was inflicted with an attack of diphtheria.  The boy’s condition was so critical that they physicians decided a prompt and heroic treatment was necessary to save his life.  The doctors performed what is known in medical parlance as a tracheotomy.  The boy’s throat was so badly swollen that it was a straight line from his head to his shoulder.  An incision was made in his throat and windpipe, (and) a silver tube than (was then) inserted to enable him to breathe.  This procedure was done on Friday and at the present time, the swelling in the boy’s neck has diminished and he is able to be up and around, much improved.  There is hardly a doubt but that he will recover fully.  Without this operation, the patient’s death was only a question of a few hours.  Thus modern surgery enables us to successfully combat the worst diseases.

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One night, this week, at about seven o’clock in the evening, a fire was discovered in the frame part of John Walter & Co.’s brewery, on Hobart and Elm Streets in Eau Claire.  Before the flames could be extinguished the frame part of the main building, the warehouse, barn, brewing house and ice-houses were completely destroyed.  It is also believed that the 2,000 barrels of beer stored in the cellar are badly damaged.

The loss on the buildings and contents if estimated to be $15,000, depending upon the amount of beer damaged.

The pearl button factory, adjoining the brewery, had a narrow escape from destruction due to the hard work of those who fought the fire.

February 1942

Bethel Lorraine Fradette, 217 South Grand Ave., Neillsville, the daughter of Clark County Treasurer and Mrs. J. H. Fradette, became the bride of Master Sergeant Earl Darling of Camp Livingston, La., at three p.m. on February 21, 1942.  The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Darling, Neillsville.

The marriage took place at the Methodist Church, Natchez, Miss. the Rev. W. B. Alsworth performing the single ring ceremony.  Attending the couple were Jeanette Short and Sergeant Vernon Gaier, Neillsville, now of Camp Livingston.

The bride was attired in a soldier blue gabardine suit, her flowers being a corsage of red and white carnations.  Miss Short, as maid of honor, wore a red and blue wool afternoon dress.  Her corsage was made up of tea rose carnations.

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New arrangements have been made for a nursing home in Neillsville.

Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Kaddatz of Levis Township and Mrs. Ruth Lindow, Chili, have taken over the management of the Neillsville Nursing Home, the home being moved Monday from North Hewett Street to the new location on South Hewett Street.

Fourteen patients are being cared for in the home at present.

Mrs. Lindow is well known throughout a large section of Clark County as a splendid practical nurse.  Her kindly and sympathetic nature and her understanding of the aged, will add much to the comfort of the patients.

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The purchase of $800 worth of defense bonds with funds earmarked for building a new church was voted by the congregation of St. John’s Lutheran Church at its quarterly congregational meeting on Sunday.

In voting to put the entire reserve for the new church into defense bonds, the congregation doubled the recommendation of the church council.  The council, proceeding with proper caution, had recommended that one-half of the building funds be turned into the purchase of bonds.

But, when the proposition was brought before the congregation for discussion and decision, it was received with enthusiasm.  Congregation spokesmen quickly accepted the suggestion, expressing the wish that the entire fund be converted to defense bonds.

The result was a unanimous vote for all-out support to a people engaged in an all-out war effort.

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A saving of about 80% in sugar usually consumed at a local restaurant has been reported by the owner.  Since the restaurant removed sugar bowls from the tables, O. W. Lewerenz reported that sugar use by customers has dropped from about five pounds to one pound daily.

Local restaurants have removed sugar bowls as a matter of self-rationing and protection.  They are no longer able to buy sugar in the quantities that once was available.

A customer is asked, “Would you like sugar?”  If the answer is “yes,” one or two cubes of sugar are brought with the order for sweetening coffee.  The equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar is provided for cereals.

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The blackout on retail gasoline sales has spread throughout Clark County during the last week.  Since the first of February retail gasoline dealers of Neillsville, Greenwood, Abbotsford, Thorp and Withee, at least, have gone on a 12-hour weekday basis of operation.  The stations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays and weekdays, and from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturdays.  The voluntary step was taken by the dealers as a move to cooperate with the war defense effort by conserving light, fuel and manpower.

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A tree believed to be the largest in Clark County will be cut this week on the farm of Wendell Crothers, in the Windfall Corners community.  An elm, the tree measures 18 feet in circumference at a point four feet above the ground.  It is more than five feet in diameter.

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The John Schmidt home, in North York Township, recently burned.  It was among the first homes to be built in Clark County and well-known as being on the Young farm.  The house was built by Jack Young’s father many years ago.  The elder Young lived there until his death.  Then Jack Young and family lived there until 1913, when they sold out to Joe Schmidt and moved to Dakota.  A few years later, John Schmidt married and bought this farm from his father.  He had made many improvements, such as building two enclosed porches, a bathroom and covered the outside of the house with a brick-effect asphalt siding.  The origin of the fire is not known.  They were only able to save the household goods that were kept downstairs.

The family is staying at the Allie Schmidt home now and hopes to rebuild in the near future.

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The first automobile to be rationed by the Clark County Rationing Board was granted Tuesday afternoon to Edna Lieske of route one, Loyal.

While the car had been purchased in December from a Loyal automobile dealer, it was still in the dealer’s possession when the order came on freezing the sale of new cars.

The car was being held at the time for a set of seat covers and a heater; and when the freezing order was issued, the car transaction also was temporarily “frozen.”

When it considered the transaction, the ration board had before it a Photostatic copy of the application for registration and certificate of title furnished by the s4tate motor vehicle department.  The date of the title change, the Photostat recorded, was December 30, 1941.  Thus, the board declared that the purchase was a bonifide one consummated prior to the freezing order and authorized that the car be released.

The period for filing for the rationing of all automobiles purchased on or before January 1, 1942, has been extended to March 2, according to word received at the local rationing board.

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The purchase of nine truck ties and six truck tubes were authorized by the Clark County Rationing Board last week to the following: A.C. Janke, Neillsville, two tires and one tube; Lester E. Reineke, route three, Thorp, one tire; Loyal Public Schools, one tube; Suda Bros. cheese factory, Greenwood, two tires and two tubes; J. R. Hoehne, Greenwood, two tires and two tubes and Rudolph Volk, Willard, two tires.

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A Willard Youth, Edward Mitchell Bogdonovich, is one of 39 Wisconsin men believed captured by the Japanese at Guam and Wake Islands.

The son of Eli Bogdonovich, Edward is a private, first class, in the Marine Corps.  He was one of the gallant bands of Marines whose historic defense of Wake Island has become epic.

A Navy public relations office announcement listed 1,010 Naval and Marine corps officers and men believed captured on Wake and Guam Islands, in addition to approximately 1,200 civilians who had been engaged in defense construction.

A second Clark County youth, John F. Barney of Abbotsford, also was among those believed captured on Wake Island.  He was among the civilian personnel there.

Believed captured on Guam Island was Lt. Commander Tilden Iver Moe of Fairchild, who had been in the service for 14 years.

No exact information on the status of individuals is available, the Navy said, since contacts were cut off when the outposts fell.  The list of men thought captured was made from personnel rosters of each outpost up to the time of capture.

Until definite word has been received directly from Edward Bogdonovich, there will be concern on the part of his relatives and friends.

Young Bogdonovich enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 1939, and has served with the Marines more than two years.

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About 2,100 Clark County men between 20 and 45 are expected to register for military service in the three days starting Saturday.  Those who have previously registered or are exempt for some specific reason will not be included in the registration.

The largest registration is anticipated at the courthouse in Neillsville, where preparations are being made to handle registrations of 600 men.  The remaining 1,500 men are expected to be divided about equally among the other four registration places set u by the local selective service board.  Selective service headquarters will be in Loyal, the village hall at Thorp, the village hall at Abbotsford and the city hall at Owen.

The registration is expected to bring in to line for military duty only about 60 percent of the number which registered in the first draft call in October, 1940, according to the local board.

A circa 1900 view of Hewett Street in downtown, Neillsville with part of the 600 and 700 block in the photo.  The Neillsville Milling Company building can be seen in the background and it later became the site of the Condensary business.  (Photo courtesy of the Webster family)